The Leading Role
by theworldsedge
Summary: Marinette Dupain-Cheng, a struggling actress, is cast as the main character of the upcoming film 'Miraculous'. However when the actors have to keep their identities a secret, Marinette cannot tell anyone- not her family, not her best friend, and not even Adrien Agreste.
1. Auditions

**Marinette Dupain-Cheng, a struggling actress, is cast as the main character of the upcoming film 'Miraculous'. However when the actors have to keep their identities a secret, Marinette cannot tell anyone- not her family, not her best friend, and not even Adrien Agreste.**

 **This is an AU, they don't have powers.**

* * *

 **Audition**

"I'm not scared of that m-monster, Officer Ja-Jones."

The black haired girl stopped. Her voice was shaking.

"I'm sorry," she apologized to the man across the room. "My voice broke but I can do better, honestly. Could I go again?"

The blue-eyed male sitting at a small desk stared back at the young woman. He nodded once. "Take a deep breath, prepare yourself then give it another shot."

Marinette clenched her fists and closed her eyes. She took a deep breath, knowing how important this audition was. All of her auditions were important, but she had never been right in front of a big director before, usually it was just a casting director that she had never heard about before.

With determination firing her moves, Marinette's eyes snapped open and her stance changed from an awkward girl to someone who had been awaiting the chance to prove themselves for a long time.

"I'm not scared of that monster, Officer Jones!" She spoke determinedly.

The actress stayed in her pose for a few seconds before her eyes trailed from the distance to the director watching her.

He had lifted his head so it was no longer resting on his joined hands. His mouth upturned into a small smile.

"It's my best advice for actors. That moment of pausing to take a breath can make a significant difference to your audition. I can tell this audition means a lot to you, Miss Dupain-Cheng," the man said to her.

"Oh yes, Mr Kubdel, it does."

The director shifted in his seat and Marinette's eyes flicked across his face, looking for any sign that would tell her it was going to be good news. She rarely heard that. Kubdel picked up a handful of papers and his eyes darted across it before he spoke up again.

"I was watching 'Horrificator' recently. You were both an extra and the costume designer, is that right?" he asked.

Marinette nodded. "Yes, it was my first screen appearance that got sent to a film festival. As for the costumes, it was the first time that I got to design something for a film, since I usually just focused on stage costumes."

Kubdel nodded. "It was very good work, you should be proud. It's difficult to find costume designers who show such potential at a young age."

Marinette looked to the floor with a blush. It was nice to receive the compliment, but she knew she had designed better.

"That will be all for today then, Miss Dupain-Cheng. Thank you for auditioning, you can expect to hear from me within the next three days," the man replied with a polite smile.

"Thank you for your time," Marinette said, shaking his hand before leaving the room.

As soon as she stepped into the hallway and the door had closed behind her, Marinette buried her face in her hands.

"That was awful, I'm such an idiot," she whined into her hands.

"Don't be silly, Marinette, you're a wonderful actress so I know that's not true."

The young woman parted her fingers to look at the speaker. A red haired woman with a high voice and bright blue eyes stood from a row of chairs that lined the hallway wall and approached Marinette.

"You weren't in there, Tikki. My voice was shaking."

Tikki placed her hands on the sides of Marinette's arms comfortingly. "We rehearsed this audition a thousand times. Plus, Mr Kubdel contacted you to audition, remember? That doesn't happen to people who've not had their big break yet, so take that as a good sign."

Marinette lowered her hands but kept her eyes to the floor as they walked out of the building together.

"I would have taken that as a good sign had he not brought up my costume design more than my acting."

Tikki frowned as she looked at Marinette, but said nothing.

* * *

A kitchen timer dinged from above an oven, alerting the bakers that the pastries rising in the oven were now ready to be served.

From another room, a woman's voice called out. "Marinette, sweetie, would you check on those croissants?"

Marinette pressed the pause button on a tv remote and stood from her place in the sofa, leaving behind an imprint of her body which had barely moved from the spot for days.

"Yes, Mom!" she called back, heading to the oven.

She removed the pastries from the oven, inhaling their delicious scent as she placed them to rest on top of the oven.

Resisting the urge to take one, the black-haired woman returned to the sofa and allowed the tv to continue playing. Her phone buzzed from atop a pillow.

 **To** : Marinette  
 **From** : Alya  
 _Any news on that audition you went to? X_

Marinette typed a response out, sighing as she did.

 **To:** Alya  
 **From:** Marinette  
 _I'm not holding my breath any more. Maybe next time I'll get it x_

She dropped her phone beside her and melted further into the sofa, letting the cushions fall against her as she stared at the tv screen, which played out a horror film. Dark figures whispered to each other as they crept through a hallway before a man in a blue mask appeared, terrifying the characters.

Marinette audibly groaned. "That stitching is terrible, what was I thinking when I designed that?"

The characters in the film ran from the masked villain and took refuge in a small classroom, where a blond haired, green eyed teen appeared.

Marinette remembered him, how could she forget? Of course, she never knew him very well. She was pretty sure they never even had a full, coherent conversation.

The boy comforted the two characters before the masked villain returned to the scene then he jumped over a desk and engaged in a fight with the bad guy until he won. The teens were rescued and the villain was marched out of the building to where the police arrested him and a crowd cheered nearby.

Marinette paused the film and narrowed her eyes. There she was, seventeen years old, hair tied up in pigtails and tied with a little red bow. She stood out from the crowd, but not in a good way; her dark hair washed her out next to the other lighter haired extras, and her acting was not the most amazing.

She switched the tv off as her phone chimed again beside her.

 **To:** Marinette  
 **From:** Alya  
 _Girl, bigger and better roles will come around for you soon! Will let you know if I hear anything about casting directors looking for people x_

Marinette smiled weakly at the text message. She was lucky to have Alya in her life to support her through her attempts to break into acting, but she didn't really feel like accepting the positivity Alya offered her right now. Her best friend had always been so successful, getting an internship at the big online magazine when they finished high school and she'd managed to stay with the same company ever since. Marinette on the other hand had pursued acting in college and university, and it was yet to pay off.

"You watched 'Horrificator' without me?" A man's voice appeared. "I'm hurt!"

Marinette looked to the side where she saw her father staring down at the DVD cover in his hands.

"Sorry, Dad, but I still don't see why you love it so much. It looks so amateur."

Tom Dupain-Cheng faked a gasp and sat down on the sofa beside her, picking up the remote and switching the tv back on.

"That's why I love it so much!" he exclaimed, pointing to the crowd on screen. "My daughter's first proper acting role. If it wasn't for this film, you wouldn't have discovered what you love."

Marinette smiled softly.

Tom rewound the film back to the start of Marinette's scene and watched it happily as his daughter closed her eyes as to not relive the torture of watching herself on screen again.

"You should be proud of yourself for your acting, Marinette," Tom told her.

"Your father is right," a female voice appeared. "Just because you haven't heard back from your previous audition doesn't mean you won't hear back from the next one."

Marinette looked up to her mother. "I know, I know. It just knocks my confidence a bit."

The scene drew to a close and the credits began to roll, Marinette's name appearing on the list twice.

The young actress knew she was fortunate to have such supportive parents and friends. Here she was, twenty-one years old and living with her parents in a city renowned for opportunity, but she couldn't even get a job. Most people Marinette knew that were around her age had moved out with their partners or their friends, some even living alone, but that wasn't her reality. Marinette's reality was helping out with her parent's bakery to pay them back for letting her stay at home rent-free. Marinette's reality was desperately applying for any acting job she saw advertised online or that her agent found for her, and if not acting roles then she was looking for costume design roles. Anything that would bring her some experience for the film industry and for her to gain a few extra euros.

Sabine and Tom didn't mind their daughter living at home still. She was no trouble out of the way in her attic bedroom and she helped out around the house and bakery whenever she could.

"We'd better serve up those croissants," Sabine began. "It's almost opening time and they'll be getting cold."

"Do you need my help with anything today?" Marinette asked.

Sabine tapped the tray with the croissants on to check the temperature was cool enough to carry before she turned back to her daughter. The phone rang just before she spoke.

"We might need you around eleven when it gets busier, but for now could you just take that phone call? It's probably a customer putting in an order and we need to get opening up the store."

"Sure, Mom." Marinette jumped from her seat and approached the phone as her parents left the room.

She swiped the phone up from its stand and held it to her ear, putting on her cheeriest voice. "Dupain-Cheng bakery, this is Marinette! How may I help you today?"

"Miss Dupain-Cheng," said a male voice on the other side of the line.

Marinette raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"

"This is Mr Kubdel speaking. Is now a good time to talk?"

The young woman froze on the spot, mouth open slightly and her limbs lacking any feeling. Her heart began to race.

"Miss Dupain-Cheng?" he repeated.

"Sorry, yes. Now is a brilliant time," the girl replied, snapping back into reality.

"Wonderful. Well, I have some good news for you and some bad news. Let's get the bad out of the way first, shall we?"

Marinette's stomach flipped. She knew it. She knew he was going to tell her that her acting isn't good enough to be in the film but he's willing to let her be costume designer just to be nice. That's how things usually went for her.

"You won't be able to tell anyone of your involvement with this film."

 _Oh_ , Marinette thought. She hadn't got any role at all, not even costume designer.

"The good news," Mr Kubdel continued in her silence, "is that when the film is released, you'll finally be revealed as the leading actress."

"Thank you for considering me," Marinette started. And then she stopped. "Wait. Could you repeat that? I think I misheard you."

"I want you to be the leading actress in my film, Marinette."

The girl bit her lip to stop herself from squealing in excitement. Mr Kubdel, a famous director, wanted her to be his leading actress!?

"I… I don't know what to say, Mr Kubdel! Thank you so much," she stuttered in shock.

Kubdel chuckled. "Of course, Marinette. But as I say, this has to be completely confidential. You can tell nobody of your involvement with my production until the film has been premiered. If you accept the job, we can have a meeting on Saturday where I can fill you in on the role, you can sign your contract, and then we can have a script rehearsal. How does that sound?"

"Amazing! Great!" Marinette smiled.

"Fantastic," Kubdel replied. "I'll email the details over to your agent and will see you on Saturday. Goodbye, Marinette."

"Thank you, goodbye!"

The line went dead and Marinette stared at the phone in her hand with a blank face. She could hardly believe what she'd just been told. It was an actual, feature length film that she was going to be starring in, which was amazing, but she wouldn't be able to tell anyone. She couldn't tell her parents. She couldn't tell Alya.

Now, Marinette faced a problem here. She wasn't a great liar, never had been. She was so overjoyed that she'd got the role that she would have to tell some kind of excuse as to why she was so happy all of a sudden. Secondly, she would be disappearing for long hours of the day to film so she needed some sort of cover-up for when she was there.

Marinette skipped back to the sofa and grabbed her phone, typing out a quick text message.

 **To** : Tikki  
 **From** : Marinette  
 _TIKKI I GOT THE ROLE! Mr Kubdel said he will email you details for meeting on Sat. Strictly confidential role- I can't tell parents or friends. What should I do?_

She paced the room, eyes fixed on her phone as she awaited a response from her agent. Tikki was so important to Marinette. She had been there for the actress for years, always offering her support and motivation to keep her going. Of course, Marinette already had that from her family and friends, but Tikki was Marinette's friend too, not just her agent. She always understood what Marinette was going through as she'd seen it all before with other actors and she always offered some of the best advice when it was needed.

 **To:** Marinette  
 **From:** Tikki  
 _Well done, Marinette, I knew you would! Yes, I have received the email with the details. I think the best solution is to tell them you have got a job you applied for a long time ago in a small indie film, say you can't talk much about it though. Hopefully if you say it's a minor role people won't ask much_

Marinette read the text twice. That was probably the best solution to her problem. Not technically lying was the best form of lying for her.

She typed a quick thank you text back to Tikki before taking in a big breath, preparing herself to tell her parents.

She let the smile return to her face and raced out of the room. "Mom, Dad, I have something amazing to tell you!"

* * *

 **Thank you for reading. If you can, please leave a little review and let me know where you want to see the story go and what you thought of this chapter. Don't forget to click the follow button too so you know when I upload the latest chapter!**


	2. Film Sets

**A/N: An important note! The first chapter has been reuploaded and updated! I would recommend re-reading it to make sure you've read the correct version as there have been some changes to it. The plot itself hasn't changed but the quality of the chapter has improved and I think the story is more clear.**

 **Also thank you to everyone who has left a comment on the first chapter! I'm so surprised with how many views this story has had so far.**

 **I will leave replies to reviews at the end of the chapter.**

* * *

 **Film Sets**

The following weeks flew by in a haze of signing contracts, attending rehearsals, and reinforcing Marinette's lies to her parents and Alya.

As far as they were concerned, Marinette had a small role in a little film she had applied for a long time ago. She said she couldn't really explain the film as she only had her lines for the scene she was in and so didn't know the full narrative. Thankfully her parents didn't ask any further questions, simply telling her that they were so proud of her and happy that she had a job to work on, however Alya was a different story. Question after question, Alya wouldn't stop inquiring into the role. Marinette couldn't get annoyed with her best friend as she knew it was just the journalist in her that couldn't be controlled.

Marinette and Tikki signed the contracts together to commit to the film and also to swear to keep the role completely confidential. Mr Kubdel had repeated over and over how important that was to the film's effect on both the cast and crew. Only the costume artist, makeup artist, and himself would know the identity of the film's protagonist, and it was essential to keep it as such.

The young actress completely understood his creative decision and agreed that it would make for a brilliant impact on the audience when it's premiered and revealed who the actors were the entire time. Mr Kubdel told Marinette that when she finds out who her co-star would be, she would be thrilled, although the woman did not dwell on who it could potentially be. She decided that she would rather it be a surprise like he intended.

The script read-through and rehearsals that Marinette had to attend did not disappoint despite the lack of a co-star, as Kubdel filled in for the role. He convinced Marinette that it would break the tension between the pair and he was right. Within a few weeks of rehearsals, Marinette felt like she and Kubdel got along well and the director was always excited when she understood his visions for the film.

Overall, Marinette was having the time of her life before shooting had even started. The evening before the first day, the young actress stood in front of her full-length mirror and practiced her lines. The first day of filming was scheduled as the scene when the protagonist would meet their partner. Kubdel had already told her he wanted one take of the first shot so the reaction was realistic, as Marinette would be meeting her disguised co-star for the first time too. As the young woman relayed her lines to her reflection, she couldn't deny the nerves she felt for shooting.

Marinette's petite reflection looked back at her.

"Am I really up for this?" She muttered to the mirror, not expecting a reply.

Marinette's phone buzzed from where it rested on her desk. She dropped the script pages onto the desk and picked up her phone, reading the text message that had come through.

 **To** : Marinette  
 **From** : Alya  
 _Good luck with your secret film shoot tomorrow. You'll do great, girl! x_

Marinette smiled at her phone as she typed her quick response.

 **To** : Alya  
 **From:** Marinette  
 _Thanks, Alya. Up early so I'll text you tomorrow when I get a break! X_

Marinette switched from her messages to her alarm on her phone and set it for five thirty in the morning. She groaned just thinking about the hour she had to wake up just to get to the film set for six thirty in the morning.

Wiping her tired eyes, Marinette climbed up to her bed and placed her phone beside it. She buried herself under the covers and hoped she could forget all of her nerves for the following day and get a good sleep.

* * *

When the alarm startled her awake the following morning, Marinette almost fell down from her bed. As the disorientated girl hit her phone desperately trying to turn off the loud ringing, she wondered briefly why she had even set the alarm. The skylight above her was still masked in darkness of the night sky since the sun had not even graced the horizon. Marinette narrowed her eyes in a temporary confusion before looking at her phone again.

"It's today!" she realized, sitting bolt upright and throwing the bed sheets back from her legs before swinging herself down from her bed.

Marinette hurriedly grabbed the clothing she had prepared the previous night from the chaise longue and rushed to the bathroom to get ready for the film shoot. She had been told not to wear any makeup and to wear casual clothing since she would be changing once she arrived at the film studio, so the young actress opted to wear her favorite pink jeans with a button down white shirt and her dark hair tied up into a messy bun on top of her head.

Marinette picked up her usual clasped shoulder bag and placed her phone inside before heading downstairs and grabbing something to eat for breakfast. She quietly made herself a bowl of cereal, every move silent as a tiptoe so to not awaken her parents.

The clock hand pointed at five minutes to six when the young woman's phone buzzed from her bag. Marinette checked it while eating her cereal to see a message from her agent.

 **To** : Marinette  
 **From** : Tikki  
 _Pick you up in five. X_

Marinette's eyes widened as she rushed to finish her cereal and crammed her phone back into her bag, clasping it shut. She placed the empty bowl in the sink and hoped her mother would forgive her for leaving the kitchen in a bit of a mess then exited the house, locking the door behind her and standing on the cold Parisian street.

The light was still nowhere to be seen in the sky but the streetlights illuminated parts of the road. Marinette loved seeing the city before it was even awake, knowing somewhere so full of life could also be so peaceful and relaxing. It provided a much needed calm before a hectic day of filming, allowing the woman to take a moment to breathe.

Lights from a car turned into the road and took Marinette back into reality. The dark vehicle stopped in front of her and the window was rolled down, Tikki sat in the back seat with a smile on her face. Marinette wondered how she managed to look so cheerful at such a horrible hour to be awake.

"Good morning, Marinette," She chirped happily. "Quickly, get in the car out of the cold."

Marinette didn't need telling twice as she rushed inside, appreciating the return to warmth.

She gave her agent a bright smile as soon as she sat down and the driver put the car back into motion.

"Are you nervous?" Tikki asked Marinette.

Marinette nodded once. "I am a bit."

"Oh, Marinette, you know you don't need to worry," Tikki reminded her. "Nobody will even know who you are, they will probably be nervous to be around you."

"I suppose so. But Tikki! I don't know who my co-star is. What if they're famous? What if they're amazing at acting and then I look amateur?" Marinette rambled.

Tikki let out a little giggle. "Kubdel is one of the best directors in this city, I trust he knows how well the acting will look between you both. If he thought one would outshine the other like that, he wouldn't have hired you both. Don't panic."

Marinette nodded again and fell silent. She figured Tikki was probably right, she usually was.

"Thanks, Tikki."

It took about twenty minutes before the film lot became visible from the car. Marinette couldn't sit still as she peered out through the window, barely able to see through the lack of daylight but still so full of excitement and nerves that she couldn't look away.

The lot was huge, spaced out with buildings and sets, trailers and other vehicles. It had a huge fence surrounding its perimeter, closing it off to the public with a single gate at the front with a security hut.

The vehicle slowed to a stop at the hut and the driver showed a ginger haired man his identification. The guard didn't seem all too interested in who else was in the car and granted them access, pressing a button which made the barrier lift so that the vehicle could enter.

The car pulled into a car parking space over by the fourth studio building, where Mr Kubdel was stood outside talking with someone.

"I'm not going to be able to stick around set," Tikki told Marinette. "I have to get to the offices to handle other clients for the rest of the day but my phone is always on so text me if you need me for anything. I know you'll be great though, Marinette. You've just got to believe in yourself."

Marinette gave Tikki a smile. "Thank you for getting me this job, Tikki."

The woman shook her head. "It's all you. Go on now, off you go."

Marinette hopped out of the car and approached Mr Kubdel. She lingered nearby awkwardly, not wanting to talk to him upright and blow her cover in front of the person he was talking with.

Instead she opted to just clicking the clasp of her bag for lack of anything else to do while she waited for the director to finish talking.

"Marinette!" Mr Kubdel suddenly spoke. "Come and meet Juleka."

Marinette looked up and approached cautiously.

The woman, Juleka, looked at her with a straight face that almost made Marinette shrink.

"Juleka, this is Marinette," Kubdel introduced. "Marinette, this is Juleka. She'll be your makeup artist for the film."

Marinette felt herself tense slightly under the glare of the woman.

"Nice to meet you," Juleka said in a monotone voice.

"H-Hello," Marinette replied, reaching out to shake her hand. "It's nice to meet you too."

Marinette noticed how even in the faint light Juleka's bright purple strands of hair shone from her the rest of her dark hair. She didn't look interested in Marinette one bit, and that made her feel a bit nervous.

"It's six thirty sharp now so Juleka please take Marinette into costume. And remember, nobody is to see her in character," Kubdel instructed.

Juleka nodded and ushered Marinette over to a trailer where she would have her makeup and costume ready.

As the makeup artist closed the trailer door behind them, Marinette stood uncomfortably. She had never had her makeup done properly for a film and the impression Juleka was giving off was not a warm one.

"I'm sorry if I seem rude," Juleka said with her back turned as she collected makeup items from a dressing table. "I hate mornings."

Marinette couldn't help the smile on her face. "I can relate to that."

Almost immediately the tension seemed to diffuse.

"Rose will be over with some coffee soon," Juleka continued as she moved a chair out and gestured for Marinette to sit. "She won't see you though, don't worry."

Marinette took the seat and allowed Juleka to make a start with her makeup.

"Who's Rose?" Marinette asked as she closed her eyes, feeling a make-up product glide over her skin.

"She's working on the catering for the film, but basically a runner. I've known her for a while now."

Marinette felt more relaxed as she could tell Juleka was too. The actress guessed that the makeup artist was just as shy as she could be herself.

"You're friends then?" Marinette continued.

"Good friends," Juleka smiled.

The pair shared some polite talk while Marinette had her face prepared and her hair tied up into two little ponytails. Juleka clipped on some little red earrings with spots on before bringing over a red spotted mask.

As soon as that was on, the costume was brought out from the wardrobe.

"That looks small," Marinette commented as she stared at the spotted suit.

"It's a body suit," Juleka told her.

Marinette raised an eyebrow, skeptically looking at the outfit before shrugging. "Well, here we go."

It took a grand total of twenty minutes to get Marinette into her costume and make any final tweaks so it fitted her properly before the actress was finally brought over to a full length mirror and allowed to look at herself in full character.

"Wow," Marinette gasped.

An hour previous she had entered the trailer simply as Marinette, the struggling actress who was never quite good enough to get a decent acting job. Marinette, the bakers child who helped out to be less of a burden to her parents. Marinette, who spent years of her life so positive and full of goals but slowly found she had become more and more lost.

Marinette was not the person in the mirror. The person looking back in the mirror was Ladybug.

* * *

 **Replies to Reviews:**

 **gleamqueen- Thank you so much! Having Tikki as a support for Marinette is something I definitely want to make sure I'm writing in this story. Hopefully I do manage to do that!**

 **Nanami-Hime- Thank you, I'm glad you like it so far! I'm sorry you're disappointed that Tikki isn't a Kwami in this story, but I just wanted to make it more realistic and having Tikki as a human was the best way I thought to do it**

 **justsomebread- Thank you, I hope you have chosen to read more (otherwise you wouldn't be reading my response right now...)**

 **Traveler737- Sorry! I will be posting more of the story though and there will be more to it. I'm glad you find it interesting though!**


	3. Action

**Firstly, I will apologise for it being so long since I updated this! Normally I finish writing the entire story and then upload on a schedule however I have not done that with this. I've been very busy over the past few months and felt very demotivated, but I'm back into the spirit of writing and have progressed this story so much in the past week, so uploads will be more regular.**

 **Once again, I will reply to your reviews at the end. Hope you enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

 **Action**

The thick booklet of papers rustled in between trembling, red gloved hands. Bluebell eyes scanned the bold words on the page, taking in each detail and pause. There were pages to remember for the first scene being filmed, and Marinette was finding it more and more difficult to control the rage of butterflies flying around her stomach.

"Crew, get ready on set!" a woman called out, flicking a fiery pink fringe of hair from her eyes.

Members of the crew began to shuffle away from their conversations, quickly snapping back into work mode and preparing themselves for the first take.

"Now," the woman continued as she walked across set, speaking into a megaphone, "we want this scene perfect in one take for authenticity. I'm expecting best performances for this, no screwing up."

Marinette sunk slightly into her seat on the words, but other crew members just laughed among one another. The pink haired lady approached the young actress, lowering the megaphone and greeting her with a bright smile.

"Ladybug, we're ready for you on set now."

Marinette nodded once and stood to go to her first position, leaving her script on the red spotted chair that she had been occupying.

She risked a glance around the crowd of people, though all seemed more interested in preparing their equipment ready for the take than her. A few gazes were cast her way, but not enough to throw her off.

"I've got this," she muttered under her breath. "Ladybug has got this."

The actress found her place on set, which was around a wall where only one of the three cameras could see her. As she waited, the fake Bank began to fill with extra cast members who had been briefed by a crew member on where to stand and how to behave. They crouched onto the floor under desks, some huddling close to each other and dropping purses and money around them.

Marinette looked back around the wall she was leaning against to see two actors with dark masks concealing their faces and fake guns in their hands. It was unusual to see two sinister appearing characters laughing to one another before the cameras rolled. The actress couldn't help but drift her vision across the extras, trying to spot who would be the co-star she was looking forward to meeting. Of course, she understood that they would be under a mask and neither actor would know the other's identity, but it was that mystery which made the job even more exciting.

"Good morning everybody," Kubdel's voice boomed over the megaphone. "I'm sure Alix has made sure you all know what you're doing, I don't doubt this shot will be flawless on the first take, as I don't plan on doing it again. I'm throwing you all right into this film at the deep end, so do your very best and good luck."

Marinette resumed her place behind the wall and adopted a fighting stance, prepared to launch into her scene.

Kubdel had sat on a director's chair, overseeing the set and flicking his eyes between the camera screens in front of him.

The pink haired woman, Alix, had replaced her megaphone with a clapperboard and was waiting beside the camera that filmed the entire scene.

"Cameras rolling," Kubdel called out. The three camera operators each gave a thumbs up. "Sound?"

A tall man holding a boom pole over his head nodded.

Alix moved the clapperboard in front of the camera, although Marinette couldn't see it's words from her position in the scene.

"Miraculous, scene two, shot 1, take 1," she declared, clapping the board together before moving out of sight again.

"And," Kubdel shouted, dragging out the word, "Action!"

Life burst onto the set.

The faces of the extras twisted into fear and desperate cries, some holding their hands over their heads and others seeking shelter under the desks of the fake Bank.

"I said to put your hands up!" a male voice roared.

"Do it now!" another demanded.

Marinette's eyes were stuck to Kubdel, awaiting her cue as the scene played out. Two bank robbers and plenty of hostages.

She stayed frozen in her pose, ready for the moment that Ladybug would appear and save the civilians.

An actor cried out, sobbing pleas to be spared to one of the robbers.

"Speak one more time and I'll shoot!" a villain warned, gun pressed against the back of the beggar's head.

Kubdel gave Marinette a little signal.

Her eyes narrowed and she threw herself around the corner of the wall, now fully able to take in the sight of the scene. It was going exactly as she had pictured it in her head and as Alix had explained to her before shooting. She darted towards the gunman, fake kicking the weapon from his hand and granting the victim chance to escape.

A couple of punches were thrown each way, with Ladybug dodging each attack without fail. Left, right, crouch, and trip them up. The villain fell to the floor, giving Ladybug time to stand and pursue the other attacker who held a hostage with a gun and bag of money.

"Put her down!" Ladybug instructed. "You don't have to do this."

The villain shook their head. "You don't understand. I need this."

Ladybug took a single step forward, raising her hands up slowly and calmly. "If you hurt that person then things won't be easy for you. Don't make that be the case."

The villain backed up, heading towards the fake door.

"Let me go, please!" the actress cried, wriggling to break free.

The villain snapped, dropping the money and clicking the trigger. The actress screamed and collapsed to the floor, where red liquid began to ooze from their stomach area.

The masked man turned on his heels, racing towards the exit while Ladybug fell to the woman's side, pressing her hands on the wound to prevent further bleeding.

"Now where do you think you're running to?" a new male voice questioned.

Marinette looked up quickly to the voice, both in recognition of the co-star's line, and to remain in character.

A fight scene broke out between the fleeing villain and the other male. Marinette's eyes flickered between the action and the fake-bleeding victim in front of her. He moved quickly throughout the fight, like he was no stranger to fast-paced battle scenes. The kicks and punches between hero and villain were so close that Marinette was convinced they were actually hitting one another, and for a brief moment she wondered whether her own fight had been that realistic. She returned her gaze to the victim on the floor and delivered her line.

"You're going to be okay, we'll get you out of here."

Immediately, the fight drew to a close and the villain's defeated body slid down a wall and collapsed onto the tiled flooring.

Marinette looked to her co-star, who now hurried towards her.

"I'll take care of her," he told her. "You get everybody else out safely and the police in here."

She nodded, moving her hands from the wound and standing to usher the crowd of extras out of the fake door.

Paramedics and police extras entered the scene and hurried to the body of the injured victim and villains while Ladybug stood nearby. The cameras followed her co-star, who now approached her at a slow pace.

He wore a black leather suit not too different from Ladybug's own, including a black mask that perfectly covered his face to keep his identity concealed. In one of his gloved hands, the man held onto a baton, which drew Marinette's attention further to the claws that perched on the ends of his fingers. They really had spared no detail on his design.

The man's green eyes were fixed on her blue ones. Ladybug crossed her arms, the scene's script running through her mind like a track. She had visualised every movement before shooting.

"Ladybug," he spoke, stopping in front of her. "What a pleasure it is to finally meet you, I've heard plenty about you in the news reports."

"Chat Noir," Ladybug spoke coolly.

"Ah, so you've heard of me too?" The man smirked, puffing his chest up and putting his hands on his hips. "I can't say I'm surprised, I am the media's favourite superhero."

Ladybug snorted.

"I admire your work though. I think we'd make a good team together, wouldn't you agree?"

The female hero shook her head instantly. "I don't think so. I prefer to work alone, and I had this under control. I didn't need your help here."

"I don't think you did, my Lady," Chat Noir gestured to the woman on the floor. "See, if I hadn't arrived then that woman would either be dead or the villain would've gotten away."

Ladybug rolled her eyes. "I would've figured something out. I always do. Goodbye, Chat Noir."

The lady turned and began to exit the bank, keeping her blue eyes focused on the doorway.

"You keep telling yourself that, Ladybug."

She let the door swing to a close behind her.

"Cut!"

Marinette felt her shoulders drop and the muscles in her face fall into relaxation as she turned back towards where Mr Kubdel sat rewatching the take on a screen.

She noticed that her co-star hadn't made an effort to approach the director and was instead chatting with Juleka, who was brushing out the man's blond hair to reshape it over his mask in preparation of his next scene.

In a quick moment, she felt the actor's eyes shoot in her direction. Their gaze remained locked across the set. The young actress felt her face redden in a slight discomfort; she didn't know who he was underneath that mask, so for all she knew he could have been an A-list celebrity while had barely been able to get her foot in the door. She hoped he didn't think her acting was terrible.

The man raised a hand, giving a slight wave to her across the set.

She mimicked the action before diverting her eyes fast, deciding to remain on the director who had just finished watching the scene.

"Very good take, everyone!" he congratulated. "Ladybug and Chat Noir, I don't think we could have captured that first meeting between you any better- a truly excellent performance from you both. We'll move on to the next scene now, so all actors take five; get any refreshments and makeup retouches while the crew prep. Does that sound good to everyone?"

There was a murmur of agreement among everybody, and within a beat the equipment was being moved around the set to a different scene.

"Marinette," Kubdel smiled with a low voice, standing in front of the young actress. "How did you find that scene?"

She returned the smile happily, "Really good. I felt so confident being Ladybug."

"It showed," he assured her before turning to point at a crew member nearby. "Rose over there will be taking care of you today around set. She'll point you towards your next scene. Remember though, nobody is to know who you are."

"Got it," Marinette nodded.

"I'll see you over at the next scene then," Kubdel parted, leaving the young actress to approach Jane.

The nervous crew member with light blonde hair smiled at her warmly. She was the runner that Juleka had been talking of earlier.

"Hello Ladybug," she greeted, eyes closed tightly while her smile overtook her face. "Let's get you over to the next set."

Marinette nodded, mimicking the expression before following the small girl to where she would be filming the next scene. It was going to be a long day, but she was looking forward to every minute.

* * *

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	4. Familiarity

**I can't thank you all enough for how lovely you've been reviewing and following this story. Your words and actions mean so much to me and encourage me to make this story the best I can. As usual, replies to you all will be after this chapter.**

 **Now, here we go with a familiar face...**

* * *

 **Familiarity**

Marinette stood at the refreshment table, pouring herself a plastic cup full of lemonade to finish off the day. She had been told by Rose that Juleka would be ready for her makeup and costume removal at six-thirty, so was waiting around for the clock hand to reach its mark to signal her exit. The young actress' legs were heavy as she leaned against the table, sipping from the cup and feeling the bubbles of the carbonated drink fizz into her nose.

"Long day, huh?"

She turned her head to the side, finding a cat-costumed man to her side observing the selection of drinks that were on offer.

"Tell me about it. I'm exhausted," Marinette agreed.

"You haven't let it show," he told her as his hand lingered over the bottle of lemonade. "I think I was starting to flag by the end of that scene, but you managed to maintain your standards all day, my lady." He moved his hand away, settling for a small bottle of water.

Marinette gave a little laugh. "Well it's an important job. I have to give the best performance of my life."

Chat Noir smiled affectionately. "It's nice to see someone so passionate about acting. It's a tough gig."

She gave a shrug in response. "It's what I've always wanted to do. So finally getting to be a part of a big movie is my dream come true."

"Your first proper feature film then?" he questioned before drinking the majority of the water.

"No!" Marinette blurted in response, trying to cover her mistake. "I just mean that I'm lucky to have the opportunity. Again. I get to relive my dream over and over."

"Sooo," he dragged out, "you're already famous?"

She crossed her arms. "Stop trying to find out about me! You know the rules, Chat."

He smirked. "It was worth a try to see who gets to own those beautiful blue eyes."

Normally, Marinette would have blushed at the compliment. Instead, she shook her head and turned back to the table. "How do you know they're not contact lenses?"

Chat Noir's smile faltered before he shrugged. "I never even considered it. After all, the whites of my eyes aren't naturally green."

"Ladybug, Juleka's ready for you in makeup," Rose called from a small distance away.

The spotted attired girl gave a wave to her in acknowledgement then turned back to her co-star.

"Well, Chat, it was nice to talk to you but I've gotta head off. Bug out!"

She turned to walk but paused, glancing back over her shoulder before she left him.

"That sounded a lot cooler when I said it in the scene," she admitted.

Chat Noir chuckled. "See you, Ladybug."

He watched her walk away to the trailer, a soft glow on his face.

* * *

The cool evening breeze drifted around Marinette as she stood waiting by the security hut outside of the film lot for Tikki to pick her up. No longer wearing Ladybug's spots, she instead found her arms decorated in small, sharp bumps where her shirt sleeves didn't cover. She made a mental note to ensure that she brought her jacket with her to set the next time.

The sun had already settled away over the horizon, making way for the shadows to occupy the once bright space. The young actress pulled her phone from her bag just as the screen flashed bright, revealing a message in a bubble.

 **To:** Marinette  
 **From:** Tikki  
 _Held up in traffic but we won't be long- five minutes max. X_

She returned the phone to her bag and hugged her arms around herself.

"Good evening, Roger. Still working at this hour?"

Marinette turned her head around to the security hut entrance to locate the voice's source with interest; however the wall blocked the speaker from sight.

"It's no bother to me," a deeper voice responded. "So long as I know the lot is protected, I don't mind working overtime."

The friendly male voice that had initiated the conversation spoke again. "Well I definitely feel safe in the lot knowing it's secure. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Of course, sir."

Marinette resumed her gaze forwards, mentally scolding herself for eavesdropping. There was something about the voice though that she recognised, although where exactly she had heard it, she couldn't place.

A blacked out car pulled up in front of the lot, appearing to face the young actress as if waiting for her.

She raised an eyebrow, shifting her weight to grant vision to the side of the vehicle where Tikki would be exiting from.

Instead, footsteps came from the side of the security hut and out walked a blond-haired man, strolling towards the vehicle with his eyes glued to the floor until his attention was drawn to the woman looking curiously at the black car.

"I'm sorry, was this your car?" the man asked her, gesturing to the vehicle.

Marinette's eyes widened as she took in the sight of the man. She couldn't mistake that face.

As if synchronous with her, a smile grew upon his face as he recognised her blue eyes and blushing skin. "I recognise you. From _'_ Horrificator', right?"

Marinette nodded, her mouth slightly open in surprise. How would he remember her?

"Adrien Agreste," the young man introduced, holding a hand out to her.

The young woman's eyes darted from his hand and back to his face before she shakingly reached out. "M-Marinette Dupain-Cheng."

He dropped her hand, his mouth somehow becoming an even bigger smile. He had the straightest, whitest teeth Marinette had ever laid eyes on, she was sure.

"Wow, that film was so long ago," he commented before a brief pause. He gestured towards the film lot behind them. "So you're still acting?"

She nodded nervously, feeling the redness of her cheeks spread across her face.

"Anything I would know?" Adrien inquired curiously.

"N-n-no," Marinette stuttered. "I mean, I am acting in something now but… This is my first break. Well, it's not a big film. It's an indie film. Small. I doubt anyone has even heard of it."

Adrien's warm smile remained while she rambled.

"B-but what about you? Well, I know you're still acting. I've seen some of the films you've been in… or maybe all of them. I don't know."

The actor chuckled in response. "Yeah, I'm still acting. I'm actually taking a bit of a break though."

"So… You're just here to see the sets?" Marinette questioned, words falling from her mouth before she could even consider that he didn't want to tell her everything about his life.

Adrien shook his head. "No, no. I'm taking a break from big films. Sort of working on the same as you, really- indie films. Nothing too…. Popular." His words trailed off at the end and he shot a quick glance to the waiting car. "I should really get going now before my driver leaves without me. It was nice to see you, though. Maybe I'll see you around here? We could talk again, grab a coffee or something?"

Marinette nodded perhaps a little too eagerly. "Yeah, Yes, that would be super. Great. Cool."

"Awesome," he agreed with a smile. "I'll see you again, then."

"S-See you!"

Marinette's eyes followed the car as it drove away into the distance, carrying away the famous young actor that she had spent so many years admiring. She almost didn't see another vehicle approach, where Tikki stepped out with an eyebrow raised.

"Marinette? Are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."

The actress snapped back into reality, walking towards the car with a grin. "Yep, I couldn't be better."

* * *

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	5. New Contact

**Thank you so much for following this story so far, seeing the view count go up has brought me so much happiness and seeing the distance it's travelling with readers in so many different countries, it truly is amazing for me. Thank you so, so much.**

* * *

 **New Contact**

The following days of shooting on the film set retained a similar schedule, sticking to a strict routine that Marinette was enjoying daily.

The early starts and late finishes on set were, however, catching up on the actress, who found she was struggling to keep her eyes open by the time the weekend rolled around. Thankfully, Saturdays and Sundays were not spent filming to give both cast and crew time to recharge their batteries and keep up the high standards they had maintained throughout the week.

Marinette lay on the sofa, flicking through the TV channels while the smell of freshly baked cookies wafted around her from the plate full on the end-table. She rested a hand on her face, supporting the weight of her head as she browsed what was on offer to watch.

There was a light knock at the door before Marinette heard it creaking open, but she lacked any energy to sit up and identify the visitor.

"Girl, where are you?" Alya's familiar voice asked loudly.

"Suffering on the sofa."

She heard her friend's warm giggle and the door closing to the house.

"Your dad told me to just let myself in- is that cookies I can smell?"

Alya appeared around the sofa and picked up Marinette's legs from being stretched out, sitting in their place and then letting them rest over her own lap.

"Help yourself," Marinette invited. "Mom's just brought them up now so they're fresh."

Her best friend didn't need any more encouragement, leaning forward to select two cookies from the plate. She took a bite from one and passed the other to Marinette, who gratefully accepted it.

"You look super tired," Alya commented. "I thought you said you were only in a small role?"

Marinette took a bite of the cookie to give herself time to think of an excuse. "I've been feeling a little ill. Plus, I wanted to get more of an idea of how to progress my career, so I asked if I could stay on set longer and watch the main actors."

"That makes sense but don't be overworking yourself. You've got enough to do at the bakery too."

"I don't mind it. Mom and Dad are cutting my hours to take the strain off, but I am a little worried that it's putting more pressure on them to make up for it."

"I wish I could offer to help but I've got so many deadlines to meet. I'm sure one of my sisters would help though if they want someone else."

Marinette gave her friend a thankful nod. "I'll let them know later and text you if they would like the assistance."

"So, how long are you going to be filming for?"

The actress shrugged. "It's sort of on and off." That wasn't technically a lie, she did have time off.

"You have weekends off though, don't you?" Alya pressed. "Nino and I were thinking…"

Marinette pushed herself up to face her friend better. "Yeah?"

"Well, Nino has this friend. He's usually working a lot but he's got weekends off now, so they've been trying to arrange a time to get together for a catch up, but Nino wanted me to meet him too. You know, to introduce us properly."

Marinette raised an eyebrow. "Where's this going, Alya?"

Alya bit her lip. "We decided that we'd arrange a double date to that really nice restaurant on the Seine, you know the one that just opened? Buuut, he's not seeing anyone so I kind of suggested that I'd bring someone to meet him. You, specifically."

"ALYA!"

Marinette's best friend grinned, raising her hands innocently. "I'm sure you'll like him."

Marinette covered her face with her hands. "Oh, Alya. You know I'm too busy and I'm not looking for any kind of relationship right now."

"I thought it'd give you a nice break," Alya tried. "Come on, Marinette. You deserve it; look at it like a celebration for your new job."

The actress parted her fingers, peeking through at her friend. She let out a deep sigh.

"Who's the guy?"

"I knew you'd agree! That's why Nino already booked the table for us next Saturday night."

"Alya," Marinette repeated, dropping her hands. "Who's the guy?"

The redheaded friend tapped her nose. "You're going to have to wait and see- it is a blind date for both of you- but trust me when I say that it will be amazing."

The friends stared at one another in silence for a moment before Marinette slowly shook her head.

"Okay. I hope you know how much I hate you," Marinette remarked with an upturned mouth, kicking her friend playfully.

"Love you too," Alya grinned, settling into the sofa as the pair started watching the movie playing on the TV.

* * *

Marinette headed towards the only café on the film lot, desperate for a change of scenery that wasn't the bustling film set where the crew stirred around. Changing out of the Ladybug costume took a fair amount of time that cut into both Marinette and Juleka's break hour, but when the young actress eventually arrived at the on-site coffee shop and sat down with a hot chocolate the size of her face, she didn't even care that she'd lost a few minutes.

She sat at a small table in the corner of the café where almost the entire wall was a window looking out onto the film lot. Soft, French instrumental music played quietly from speakers above the counter, instantly inviting customers into an environment of comfort and relaxation to take a break from the business of filming.

Marinette took a sip of the drink and felt the warmth take away the tension in her muscles. She shut her eyes and focused on the sound of the instruments, hardly noticing the slight swaying she was doing to the tune.

"Marinette?"

Her eyes shot open to the familiar voice, immediately landing her sight on the famous actor.

"A-Adrien!" She lowered the mug of hot chocolate and placed it on the saucer. "Hello."

The young man offered her a friendly smile, once again highlighting the dazzling glow of his white teeth. "How are you doing?"

"Great I'm doing," she responded quickly. "Rather, I'm doing great. Um. How are you? Would you like to sit?" She gestured to the chair opposite her.

Adrien didn't need asking twice and politely pulled the chair back to sit with her, placing a glass on water on the table. "I'm okay too, thanks. Are you on a break from filming?"

Marinette nodded. "Yeah, I thought I'd grab a drink away from everyone else. I feel like I barely get any time to myself working on this movie."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I can just…" Adrien moved as if to stand.

"No!" Marinette interrupted. "No, I didn't mean it like that. On the set, there are so many people and I think they're all good friends already. I'm sort of new to their clique, if that makes sense."

He nodded in understanding, picking up his glass of water and drinking from it. "The industry can very much be like that. People find those who they like to work with and stick by them."

"I suppose it's not too dissimilar from reality," Marinette shrugged, twirling a teaspoon around the mug of hot chocolate. She paused and looked up at Adrien again as if just remembering who she was talking to. "You were saying that you were taking a break from big films? Would you mind me asking why?"

Adrien's mouth turned up slowly. "I've been acting in mainstream films for about three or four years, so since I was around eighteen. 'Horrificator' was one of the first films I'd starred in and before then it had been TV ads throughout my teens and modelling for my Dad's fashion line…"

"So you've never really been out of the limelight," Marinette finished for him.

He stared at Marinette for a brief second, eyes tracing across her face. She felt warmth grow on her cheeks.

"Yeah, exactly that," he smiled again. "When I got the call to work on M- My current production, it was an opportunity I couldn't miss. Still doing what I love but out of the spotlight."

Marinette nodded and took another drink, consciously forcing her gaze away from the actor.

"What have you been doing since 'Horrificator'? You said you're working on something now but what about between?"

"Oh, I, uh…" Marinette stumbled across her words. She could lie, but he would probably think she was an idiot if he found out that she was a nobody. "Truth be told, I have been to thousands of auditions and got rejected. This is my first role as anything with more than one line of dialogue."

Adrien hummed in understanding. "I know lots of people with the same story, so don't take it too personally. Aurore Beauréal was the same, have you heard of her?"

Marinette's mouth fell open. "She's one of the greatest young actresses of our time, how could I not?"

The actor chuckled. "Yeah, well, she started off as a kid's TV presenter because she couldn't get a role in any movies and even that was tough to get into. I was sort of thrown into the fame from an early age, so I know most of my jobs have just been handed to me for my reputation, but if you want some real advice from Aurore I can ask her to give you a call?"

Marinette's hands flew to her mouth. "That would be crazy. Oh, gosh." She felt the heat in her face spread further, aware that she was making herself look like a fangirl. "It would be amazing but I don't want to trouble her."

"No, she's lovely really. The media like to paint her in a bad way, but once you get to know her she's just dedicated to her work. Anyway, she might be able to give you a bit more advice on landing yourself a role. I'm sure whatever you're working on now will give you a boost, though."

There was a buzzing sound of a phone from Adrien and the actor glanced down at his watch while he took a drink of water.

"That's really nice of you to suggest, Adrien. Thank you."

The young man placed the empty glass back on the table and shook his head. "You deserve to have your hard work pay off, so if I can help a fellow actor then I will."

A buzzing sound went off again, and Adrien sighed.

"Sorry, I'm going to have to check this first."

"No problem," Marinette assured, watching him take his phone from his jean's pocket.

Her blue eyes lingered on the man's face, taking in the image of every detail. He looked exactly how she had seen him in every photo, every movie, every interview, like he never had to have his image altered to fit the media's standards because he was already the ideal icon they expected. Looking at him, Marinette could see why no one would have the guts to edit how he looked.

Adrien's green eyes flicked up to Marinette, catching her staring and making her divert her gaze out of the window. She coughed nervously and raised the mug to her mouth.

"That was my agent saying I've got a meeting in ten minutes, so I'm afraid I'll have to leave you now," he explained. "But here," his phone slid across the table to Marinette, "put your number in and I can pass it on to Aurore."

Marinette lowered the mug and blankly set her eyes on the phone, which was set on the screen to create a new contact.

Trembling hands entered the name and mobile phone number into the fields, then she slipped the phone back to Adrien. "Thank you again, Adrien."

He locked his phone and returned it to his pocket. "It's no problem, Marinette. I'll text her after my meeting. Take care of yourself and enjoy the rest of filming!"

"Y-You too!" she waved as he left the café.

Once he was out of sight, Marinette let out a small squeal of excitement. Adrien Agreste had her phone number. She had an actual conversation with him. And he was going to pass her number on to one of the most famous actresses of her generation. She pinched herself on the arm and grinned.

Her phone chimed from her handbag and Marinette checked it to see if it was Kubdel calling her back to set, but instead saw an unfamiliar phone number.

 **To** : Marinette  
 **From** : #  
Realised I didn't give you my number, so here it is, haha. I'll let you know when I've spoken to Aurore – Adrien x

She buried her face in her hands, unable to fight the smile that overtook her face.

* * *

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 _Incendio:_ Don't worry, I had already been incorporating that into the story for what is still unpublished so far, but your review has reminded me to keep including it. While I've not been on the cast side of productions, I have been in the crew multiple times on films so I do know how intense and tiring it can be. That was sort of what gave me the inspiration to write this! Thank you for reviewing, I'm glad you're liking it!

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	6. Blind

**Blind**

"I told you, Chat Noir, I don't need your help."

"And I don't need yours," the masked hero argued back. "But if we're going to take down these gangs, we need to work together for the city's sake."

Ladybug folded her arms, looking away from the man for a long moment. She tapped her foot and then sighed. "Fine. We'll go to the Stoneheart hideout together and see if we can take them down, but if you slow me down or get in my way then we certainly won't be working together to stop the Hawkmoths."

Chat Noir rolled his eyes. "My Lady, I think it slips your mind who just saved you from being shot by one of them."

"Alright, Kitty, no need to keep going on about it. Let's go."

The duo exited the scene and the director called for the cameras to cut.

"Great job once again, guys," Alix praised. "We'll watch the footage back and see if we need another take but I think we've done that scene enough. You can both go grab a drink while we replay it and then I'll come over and let you know the plan, but if it's all good then it's a wrap for the day."

"Sounds _purrfect_ ," Chat Noir joked.

"You're a little too in character," Marinette remarked with a giggle as the pair headed towards the refreshments.

"Maybe I'm this charming in real life," the man suggested. "I wish we could know each other's identity."

"No, Chat," Marinette warned. "I don't know how many times we have to go over this."

"I know, I know," he sighed, picking up a water bottle.

Marinette opted for a cup of lemonade, which was slowly becoming her drink of choice.

"I never see you pick anything except water," Marinette realised before consuming half the cup in a few seconds. Relaying her lines over and over was tiring work, and her throat was beginning to feel the strain.

Chat Noir shook the water bottle. "My old drama coach never let me have anything else in class. It keeps you hydrated better than all those chemicals and doesn't clog up my throat and ruin my voice."

Marinette became acutely aware of how much sugar she was probably drinking in the drink and narrowed her eyes at the cup. "I never thought of that. Are you one of those types with a strict diet too?"

He chuckled. "Unfortunately so," his green eyes drifted across the snack table to their left. "I haven't even eaten a cookie since I was a kid."

"I don't think I could cope without my mom's homemade cookies. She gets them perfect every single time we make a batch, everyone compliments them and they always sell out within half an hour."

"She sells them?"

Marinette cursed herself mentally for her mistake. "We… She makes them for every local bake sale!"

Chat Noir didn't seem surprised at the reveal of information and nodded his head. "Maybe I'll have to break my diet and try them sometime."

"Yeah, maybe."

The man threw the empty bottle into the trash can under the table and leaned against a wall. "So, any exciting plans for the weekend off?"

Marinette hesitated, thinking through her response before letting any details out. "Just going to dinner. I'll most likely spend the rest of my time asleep."

"Oh, are you dining anywhere exciting?" he queried, absently picking at the fabric of his clawed glove.

"Wouldn't you like to know," she smirked. "I'm not telling or you might try to find me."

He shrugged, dropping the act and flashing his co-star a cheeky grin. "It was worth a shot."

She punched his arm lightly and shook her head.

Hurried footsteps approached the duo, belonging to a short man sporting the brightest green shirt Marinette had ever seen. He held a clipboard in hand and scrutinized a blue smart-watch on his wrist as he neared them.

"Ladybug and Chat Noir, you're both free to go. The Kubdels are happy with the takes we got today and they pass on their thanks for your effort today. We'll see you back on Monday bright and early so get some good rest over the weekend," he told them.

"Why thank you, Max," Chat Noir replied on their behalf. "Have a great weekend."

The smaller man nodded and rushed away to another task.

"He's always running around this place," Chat Noir observed as he and Marinette walked out of the studio. "Must be tiring work being production manager."

"Well it wouldn't be my choice of career, I'm way too clumsy to organise an entire feature film," Marinette said.

"I wouldn't have thought that about you. The past two weeks I've actually thought you had way more composure than me."

"I think it's the costume, it must be blessed or something and gives me powers to actual act like a normal human being."

Her partner gave a deep laugh. "I'm sure you're not that bad."

They stopped at their usual parting location. Both actors had trailers on opposite sides of the building to prevent them seeing one another out of costume, but it definitely made Marinette feel sorry for Juleka who was responsible for both characters' makeup and therefore had to walk all the way around to go between the two.

"Well, My Lady, here's where I must bid you adieu. Maybe I'll see you in a restaurant over the weekend, since I too am going out to dinner."

"Pfft," Marinette exclaimed. "Paris is huge, what are the chances of us being in the same restaurant at the same time?"

He raised his arms to the sides as he backed away from Marinette. "It's also a city where dreams come true, so maybe mine will! See you around."

"Until then," she saluted, allowing a comfortable smile to remain upon her expression.

* * *

Marinette twirled in front of the mirror and frowned.

"I look stupid, Alya."

" _Marinette, you couldn't look bad in any outfit,"_ the voice over the phone responded.

She crossed her arms, looking at her reflection. "Is a dress too much? It's definitely too much. Black jeans are definitely a better option."

" _That's what I'm going for too. I don't even know whether to wear heels, are you? I don't even like them."_

"I guess I was going to, yeah," she eyed up the black sandals that were waiting by her attic door. "They're not too high though, I'm already tall enough."

 _"Well I need that extra height,"_ Alya complained. _"Okay, I'm going to go for-"_

 _"Babe? Where's the shirt you wanted me to wear?"_

 _"Hanging in the closet, Nino."_

Marinette held in her laugh as she quickly changed into the jeans, listening to the couple dispute the location of the outfit.

 _"He definitely needs to get his eyes tested again, those glasses cannot be strong enough if he didn't even see a blue shirt that I'd put in full view. Where was I again?"_

"You were saying what you're going to wear."

 _"Right. Black jeans and my purple button up blouse, do you know which one I mean?"_

"Yup. I'm going for my pink one, but I think it'll be cold out so I'm bringing my black blazer too."

 _"Ugh, Marinette, I wish you could just choose my outfits for- What? I can't hear you…. Yes, it's already ironed. What do you mean there's a mark on it?! Listen, Marinette, I need to go and find an outfit for my idiot boyfriend. I'll see you at the restaurant in half an hour, okay? Love ya!"_

"You too," Marinette giggled before the phone beeped to signal the end of the call.

She looked once more in the mirror, now satisfied with her amended outfit. She grabbed her purse and placed her phone inside along with her ID and cash before heading downstairs.

"Well don't you look radiant," her father gasped. "My little Marinette all grown up."

"I'm glad you're going out, sweetie. It'll be a much deserved break from all your work," her mother said, holding her husband's hand while they both looked at their daughter.

Marinette clipped a strand of hair back with a pin. "I think it'll be fun."

A car horn sounded from outside the bakery.

"Oh, that's my cab!" she kissed her parents on the cheek and hurried to the door. "I'll see you later, bye!"

* * *

The Seine glistened under the final trickles of light that danced across its stream. Reflections of the sunset's colours shimmered, a piece of art that could not be contained to one of Paris' many galleries.

Marinette sat on a bench that looked over the river, watching the crowds of friends, families and couples as they passed, all stopping to notice the vision of beauty in the water before them.

She checked her phone, noticing the time being five minutes before Marinette was to meet the others in the restaurant. The device chimed in her hand as she looked at the screen.

 **To:** Marinette  
 **From:** Alya  
 _Just got in the cab now so we'll be with you in ten. Sorry! X_

Marinette locked the phone and returned her gaze to the landscape. A couple had interrupted her line of sight, standing directly in front of her and choosing that moment to share a romantic kiss.

She tried to not roll her eyes. The Seine was a huge river, and this couple decided to stop right in her way. Marinette stood and walked away, not straying too far from the restaurant nearby but enough to get away from couples expressing their love to the world.

When her phone began to ring, Marinette fumbled around her purse to retrieve it, expecting Alya to be on the other end of the line. The evening light cast onto her phone once it was in her hand, blocking her ability to see anything and leaving her with no option other than to frantically tap around the screen to locate the button which would answer the call.

Just as Marinette believed she had pressed it, her body collided with something and knocked the phone to the floor.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" she panicked, eyes shooting up from where they had previously been squinting at the device.

The 'something' Marinette had walked into turned out to be a person, who spun around to find the source of collision. Blonde hair, tanned skin, dark tinted glasses covering his eyes. For a moment, Marinette could almost feel the blood drain from her face. He could have been Chat Noir.

"Don't be," he said before bending down to pick up the phone. "The screen's cracked," he observed as he passed it back to her, "but I'll pay for you to have it fixed."

"No, I walked into you! I'm sorry. I wasn't looking where I was going."

"Marinette, it's me," the man responded, lowering the glasses to reveal comfortingly memorable green eyes.

"Oh, Adrien! I, uh, I …"

He laughed softly. "I should be the one apologising since I'm the reason your phone's damaged. You wouldn't have walked into me if I hadn't called you."

"Really, I was too distract-" she cut herself off. "You were calling me?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "I was just going to let you know that Aurore agreed to contact you but she was a little uncertain about sharing her phone number because she once had it leaked online and needed to change all her details. She asked if she could call me instead and you could speak through my phone to her on one of the days we're both at the film lot?"

Marinette's eyes widened. "That'd be perfect, I completely understand."

"Awesome, I'll let her know then," he smiled.

Laughter nearby caught the actor's attention and he quickly pushed the glasses back to cover his eyes.

Marinette couldn't help but notice the pale blue button-up shirt and the slim black trousers he wore and wondered why he would dress so smartly to just be hanging around the Seine. From the glasses and how he ducked his head as a small group of drunk people pushed past them, it was obvious he was not out to be recognised.

"Would you mind me asking, what are you doing here?"

He chuckled and slotted his hands into the pockets of his trousers, lifting his shoulders casually. "I'm incognito; people watching to see how regular people act."

Marinette raised an eyebrow.

"I'm kidding, Marinette."

"Oh."

"I'm actually meeting up with a friend," he told her. "But if I don't want reporters snooping around I've got to try to hide away a bit. Arriving somewhere in a fancy car would draw that attention, so what better way to blend in than to simply walk along the Seine."

Marinette's eyes lingered on him as he gazed out across the water. Such a simple thing it was to be able to admire the sight of a sunset, but clearly not one that Adrien could afford when he was so well-known.

"What about you?" he asked, turning to face her again. "I can't help but recognise the Agreste purse. Are you going somewhere nice?"

Marinette's face reddened. Her only designer purse, a gift from her parents for her twenty-first birthday, just happened to be the brand owned by Adrien's father.

"It's, uh, it's my favourite one. I've always loved Agreste," she babbled, and then her hand flew to her mouth. "The design! I mean the Agreste designs. Um. I'm going to a restaurant."

One corner of Adrien's mouth was upturned into a smile. "Meeting anyone special?"

"I don't know yet," she admitted.

"A date?" he wondered.

Marinette's blush deepened. "Sort of."

"Well, they're lucky. You look beau-"

"Mari!"

Marinette and Adrien both turned to see Alya waving across the street, Nino by her side.

As she lifted her arm to wave back, she noticed Adrien doing the same… And Nino, who had a big smile plastered on his face.

A lightbulb switched on in Marinette's brain and her hand drooped to her side.

Adrien Agreste was her blind date.

* * *

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	7. Secrets

**Secrets**

Marinette virtually slammed the door to the bathroom shut.

"You could have told me you were sending me on a date with Adrien Agreste!" she panicked, staring at her best friend with damp eyes.

Alya shrugged. "I knew you'd react like this and wouldn't go!"

"That's my decision to make, Alya. I'm freaking out here."

Alya folded her arms and leaned against the sink counters. "Girl, you look stunning and Adrien is going to love you. Sure, he's way famous and has people begging to go out with him but Nino says he's really down to Earth. Just be yourself."

Marinette closed her eyes and gripped the edges of the sink.

"I can't believe Nino's best friend is the same guy that starred in movies we've binge-watched," Marinette mumbled.

Alya chuckled. "I know, right? He never even felt the need to tell me until the other day."

"You've been together three years!"

"That's what I said to him!"

The pair laughed together, making Marinette's muscles relax.

She took a deep breath. "Okay, I can do this. Be totally normal. Okay."

"Welllll, maybe try to be less clumsy. Your phone's already smashed so let's not break any glasses or anything," Alya joked.

"Ha-Ha," Marinette deadpanned, rolling her eyes. "Right, let's get back out there."

Alya and Marinette exited the bathroom and walked across the restaurant's wooden floor on a clear path to the rectangular table close to the bar where Nino and Adrien sat side by side laughing with one another.

"-and that's how I got nicknamed 'The Bubbler'," Nino finished.

The men guffawed, clutching their stomachs and not even noticing the two women join them at the table.

"Not that story again," Alya pulled back the chair opposite her boyfriend and sat down.

"It never gets old," Nino wiped his eyes, the muscles in his face straining under the large smile.

Marinette took a seat to the side of her best friend, aware that she was directly opposite Adrien who watched her as she joined them at the table.

"I'm starving," Alya complained as she picked up one of the four leather-bound menus that had been placed in front of them.

Adrien picked up two menus and passed one to Marinette wordlessly before he browsed to find what took his interest.

Marinette bit her lip as she turned the pages to see the gold, cursive lettering on the crisp white pages. Her gaze automatically landed on the nearest price tag underneath one of the meals and her stomach churned. She had received her payment for the first week of work, but payday for the second wouldn't be until after the meal and this would definitely put a dent in her bank account.

Alya tapped a page on her own menu. "I think I'm going to order the Sole Meunière. The magazine's food correspondent did I review on this place- it's not been published yet- but he tried that and said it's amazing."

"I can't keep my eyes off the dessert menu," Nino admitted. "I could skip dinner and go straight to ordering an apple crumble."

Alya began to chuckle with her boyfriend as they discussed other options for his dinner that would be less sweet.

Adrien looked up from his menu to Marinette. "Have you seen anything you'd like?"

Marinette stared at him for a long second before avoiding his glittering eyes, returning back to the menu and scanning her finger down the page before stopping on a random dish. "Pot-au-feu?"

"I was going to pick the exact same thing," Adrien laughed. "What are you drinking? Red wine is always a good combination with that."

"I'll get… I'll get a…"

"May I take your orders?" a waiter asked, appearing suddenly at the table like a timer hurrying Marinette to decide.

Alya and Nino began stating their final decisions.

"We could get a bottle of cabernet franc between us if you'd like," Adrien suggested, noticing Marinette's alarmed eyes.

She exhaled and nodded her head, closing the menu in her hands and setting it on the table. The couple placed their order and the waiter disappeared through to the kitchen to pass it on to the chef.

"So," Alya began, straightening her posture and leaning forward to the group, "I'm working on a new movie article for the next magazine issue and I've spent the past week searching for the next best thing to write about, but get this…"

She paused for dramatic effect while the group all stared in anticipation.

"I heard a rumour going around that Kubdel is back and making a new film."

Marinette stiffened.

Nino grinned. "No way."

"I love his work," Adrien said, shuffling in his seat and smiling with interest. "What did you find out?"

"Unfortunately not much," she sighed in response. "I contacted his usual production company to see if I could get any insight but they wouldn't even let on that the rumour was true or not. So far all I've heard from the rumours online is that his car has been spotted going into the same film lot he used to work in every day for the past two weeks."

"What about anybody familiar going there as well?" Adrien wondered.

"The person who's been on the lookout has actually seen other people going there daily, so there are quite a few people they hinted could be involved."

Adrien sat further forward. "Including the stars? Do they know who could be in it?"

"There are plenty of movies made at that lot," Marinette defended, speaking up suddenly. "If the rumours are true, how could anyone guess the stars until they start marketing?"

All eyes turned to her.

"I mean, not that I'd really know. I've only been a couple of times. For the little film I'm working on."

"You didn't see Kubdel anywhere?" Alya questioned, resting her chin on her hand.

"I don't know what he looks like," Marinette shrugged, eyes gazing off around the restaurant where she saw the waiter approach with a tray of glasses. "Oh, the drinks are here."

The waiter passed the glasses around the table and began pouring the respective drinks into the correct glasses.

"You'd tell me if you saw anything though, right Marinette?"

Marinette flashed her friend a smile. "Of course."

She gulped some of the wine.

Nino swirled the glass of white wine he had, watching spirals appear in the alcohol. "What about you, Adrien, have you been working on anything lately?"

Adrien swallowed some wine then set the glass back to the table. "Uh, I'm actually just working on small productions for a while, to give me a break, you know? But what have you been doing?"

"Working the same club as always, man. I'd love to do more places but I can't complain, I enjoy it and the pay is good. It means I can treat Alya to meals like this a lot more often than I used to."

"Aww," Alya grinned.

"How did you two meet?" Adrien smiled at the couple.

"I was on an internship three years ago for the magazine I'm still at," Alya explained.

"And I was just starting out as a DJ in nightclubs." Nino linked his hand with Alya's, resting them across the table. "I'd only turned eighteen a few months before so hadn't been able to work in clubs before then."

"I had to interview him," Alya giggled with the memory. "We were basically thrown into a room together and left to talk. I had no idea who he was but had to find out everything about him for an article with no guidance."

"The rest is history," Nino beamed lovingly.

Marinette's eyes settled on their locked hands then drifted to her own cold and empty hands. She picked up the wine glass and drank some more.

Feeling her best friend's gaze on her, Marinette forced a smile.

The waiter reappeared beside the table. "Pot-au-feu?"

Marinette raised her hand slightly.

"That was fast," Nino said happily.

 _Not fast enough,_ Marinette thought to herself.

* * *

A cab arrived outside of the restaurant, lighting up the road with its headlights against the dark evening.

"Are you sure you don't want to jump in with us? We could take you home on the way," Alya said to Marinette, hands on the sides of her upper arms.

"That's okay, Alya, it'll already take you some time to get home. I don't live far and it's a nice evening so I can walk," Marinette assured her with a bright smile.

Alya wrapped her arms around her friend while Nino said goodbye to Adrien in the doorway of the restaurant.

"Text me when you're home, okay Marinette?"

"Will do."

Nino and Alya separated from their friends, leaving the restaurant and climbing into their cab, waving as it pulled away and disappeared down the street.

Adrien turned to Marinette. "Can… Can I walk you home?"

The actress brushed her hair behind her ear. "It's not far, you don't have to do that. Besides, what if you get recognised?"

"I never get noticed at night," he shrugged. "It's pretty dark out and there are plenty of guys with blond hair in the city so people think nothing of it. Sometimes I do actually take a walk around when it's dark so I can enjoy my home more."

Marinette hesitated. She had never put much thought into how trapped Adrien was as a famous actor, not even able to enjoy what Paris had to offer without having the media and the public trying to photograph him. She wondered if her life would be any similar once the news broke that she was Ladybug.

"Okay. I live ten minutes up the Seine."

Adrien smiled and held the restaurant door open for her, leading them both onto the breezy Parisian streets.

They crossed over the road to walk alongside the river, following its direction towards Marinette's bakery.

"Nino seems really happy with Alya," Adrien reflected, watching his feet as he walked with his hands in his pockets. "It's nice to see people fit together so perfectly like them."

Marinette agreed. Alya had been her best friend since forever and Marinette had witnessed break-ups throughout their teens with people not worthy of her time, so finally being able to see her settled with someone so in love made her heart fill with joy, but also made her aware of the thing she was missing.

"Have you ever been in love?" she asked, words falling from her mouth before she could stop them.

"I, uh, I sort of…" he brushed his hand against the back of his neck. "It's always been really complicated."

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked like that," Marinette apologised, watching her steps along the concrete road.

"No, it's fine really. I've just grown up under the watchful gaze of Paris' entire public, you know, being Gabriel Agreste's son. When I moved on from modelling and started doing TV adverts, I thought I'd be getting away from that by carving my own path but I see now it made things a lot worse."

Marinette raised a brow. "Why's that?"

"There was a lot of reporting about it that I'd dropped out of modelling because of a bad relationship with my father, and that made me gain even more public interest because I was getting headlines in the newspapers and magazines daily with updates about my life, even though I was a kid."

"That's awful."

"I got used to it," he stated quietly. "All that attention made people recognise me more and in turn, people wanted to be in a relationship with me for the fame or the gossip. My agent and I decided it was just in my best interest to hold off from them while I was in the spotlight so much."

"Forgive me if I'm prying, but were you not in a relationship with Chloe Bourgeois?"

Adrien brushed a hand through his honey coloured hair.. "Again, that was complicated."

After a few steps more of silence, Marinette considered his words before speaking up. "You say that going into acting made the media gain more interest in you, but I'm not sure that's to blame. If you had stayed as a model and not done what you actually wanted to do, I think people would still want to know what was going on with your life, especially as you grew older, so it's got to be better that you did make your own path or you would be unhappy."

"Huh," Adrien blew out a single laugh of recognition. "I suppose you're right."

They walked in silence for a minute, a gap between them ensuring their distance.

The path along the Seine was almost devoid of people except for a few tourists that occupied benches and huddled together to fit into pictures on their cameras. A couple shared a kiss and photographed the moment.

"Have you?"

"Hm?"

"Have you ever been in love?" Adrien clarified, awaiting her reaction with big eyes.

"No," she looked down at her hands and played with the button on the purse she held. "I kind of just blend in so nobody ever noticed me."

"I find that hard to believe," Adrien replied.

She stayed silent.

"Alya didn't seem to know that we already knew one another," Adrien pointed out. "It may not seem like a big deal but thanks for not racing to tell her that we were talking. Most people would have already sold a story to the papers by now."

He gave a laugh that lacked all humour.

"I didn't really think it was something she needed to know. Plus I didn't want to have her knowing I'm at the film lot all of the time," Marinette smiled softly at him. "We all have our secrets, right?"

He stared at her for a long second, a smile growing on his face. "Yeah."

Marinette looked up at the bakery which stood before them. For a second she wondered how they had arrived so quickly and wished it had taken longer. "Well, this is my stop. Thank you for walking me home."

"No problem," he said, shifting his weight from his heels to his toes and swaying. "Will I see you again this week? At the café?"

Marinette nodded enthusiastically. "I'd love that."

"Okay," he smiled brighter. "Goodbye, Marinette."

"Goodbye, Adrien," she waved, pushing the door to the bakery open and slipping inside.

She closed the door behind herself and leaned against it, bringing a hand to her face to feel the warmth that she hoped he hadn't been able to see.

Her phone chimed.

 **To:** Marinette  
 **From:** Adrien  
 _Thank you for a lovely evening. Sleep well – Adrien x_

* * *

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 _LadybugLover21:_ Yes they have! Hope you enjoyed how it's played out in this chapter.


	8. Charmer

**Charmer**

"No, we need to go again. Boom mic was in shot."

"Sorry," Kim called out, lifting the large pole that supported the mic. "Now?"

"Bring it closer a bit if you'd prefer, just don't go any lower than… Yep, there. Keep it there."

The tall man nodded. Marinette, as Ladybug, looked to her side where the man stood, eyes drawn to how high his arms were being held up to steady the boom pole, yet his face was completely relaxed despite the obvious strain of its weight. For a brief moment, the man made eye contact with her and shot her a quick smile. She smiled back and turned quickly to resume her place.

Behind the camera, Marinette saw the assistants chatting among themselves while angling the shot correctly. The Kubdels, director and producer respectively, were speaking in hushed voices, pointing subtly to different people and parts of the set. All of the crew seemed to have somebody to talk to except her when her co-star was not on set.

Marinette looked past the set towards the large shutter doors leading outside where she often saw Chat Noir come from- the direction of his trailer. She shifted her weight on the spot.

"Ready to go?" Alex called out. "Everyone in position!"

The young actress straightened her stance, falling into the Ladybug persona once more.

"Scene fifteen, shot twelve, take five. Action!"

The clapperboard snapped through the air on her left. Marinette took a breath and changed her expression, becoming firm as she started opening drawers to the desk in front of her. She frantically flipped the pages of paper inside, slamming the doors shut in her search.

"Where is it," Ladybug muttered, biting her lip. She glanced up at the clock on the wall, her actions gaining further speed. She finally laid her hands on the item of interest, lifting up a small black ring and delicately holding it between her fingers. "Ah hah."

"Ladybug!" a male off camera yelled.

She turned to the doorway, face falling as she tightened her fist around the jewel in her hand.

"Cut!" Kubdel called out. "Much better. Let's finish off this scene and we'll be all done for today, I really appreciate everyone's effort but we need to keep it up."

Max hopped over to Marinette with a false smile. "Take five, Ladybug. Won't take us long to get this shot set up, but enough time for you to grab a drink and pick up your energy."

Marinette nodded with a smile and headed for the refreshment table. She rubbed her eyes, shutting them for a few seconds and sighing. When she opened them, Marinette found herself staring in the face of a familiar black cat.

"Chat!" she jumped. "I didn't hear you approaching."

The man furrowed his brows, holding his clawed hands up defensively. "I'm sorry, Princess, I didn't mean to sneak up on you."

Marinette smiled at her co-star. "Don't apologize. I'm just tired and it's making me jumpy."

"I couldn't tell you were tired, your eyes are as radiant as ever, my lady," Chat Noir winked.

Marinette pushed his arm lightly. "You charmer. Is it the suit giving you that confidence or are you always flirty with the people you work with?"

He faked hurt. "This charm comes natural to me. But now I've told you a clue to what I'm like behind the mask, you've got to tell me something about yourself."

Marinette rolled her eyes. "Nice try."

"C'mon, Ladybug," he drew out, "just one thing about yourself. I see you almost everyday and barely know anything about you."

"I'm sure we'll have plenty of time to talk once filming is over. We've got a contract to stick to, Chat."

He huffed and crossed his arms.

"So, how was your dinner this weekend?" Chat Noir inquired, smiling innocently at her.

"Lovely," Marinette commented. "I had one of the best nights ever. How was yours?"

"It was fun," he responded, brushing a hand through his hair. "And it made for a nice change of scenery. I don't normally get to go out like that."

Marinette wanted to warn him not to say much more about his personal life, but he looked glad to be talking about it and she didn't want to stop him.

"Don't normally go to dinner?" she asked.

"Not with friends, no."

Marinette wondered why this man, who seemed so friendly and charming, wouldn't be in a position where he could go out with his friends. She felt the smile falter on her face.

"I'm sorry," she said.

He frowned. "It's not your fault. But hey, look here's me telling you details of my life again!" He forced a smile.

The young woman laughed. "Okay, okay. I'll give you one bit of detail then to make it fair, and since I've already been at the dinner now I doubt you're going to go checking CCTV... Right? I went to that new place on the Seine, I forget the name but it only opened this weekend. If you're ever looking for somewhere to go again, I'd recommend it!"

Chat Noir opened his mouth to speak-

"Cast, we're ready for you on set!" Alex called from a megaphone nearby.

Marinette smiled at Chat Noir and started walking away. "Come on then, Chat, let's get this scene done."

Chat Noir's words fell quietly out of Marinette's earshot. "What are the chances?"

* * *

Hours later, Marinette crawled out of her trailer after checking there was nobody around to see her leave.

Phone in hand, she headed across the lot towards the front gate where she would wait for her cab to pick her up. She saw some people lingering by the security hut and hoped that it was nobody from her film that might recognise her. The young girl's eyes dropped to her phone where she diverted her attention to seem occupied, and right on cue a text message came through.

 **To** : Marinette  
 **From** : Adrien  
 _Hey, I just had a text from Aurore asking if you want to do that call tomorrow? – Adrien x_

Marinette's mouth dropped. She fumbled a response with her cold hands.

 **To:** Adrien  
 **From:** Marinette  
 _Hey Adrien! I wsould lopve that1 thankypou! X_

The minute she pressed send, Marinette frowned at her response.

 **To:** Adrien  
 **From:** Marinette  
 _Sorry for typos! X_

She stared at the thread of texts as a bubble popped up to show Adrien was typing.

"Marinette?"

The young girl drew her eyes up from the cracked phone screen to the direction of the speaker, finding herself looking at a young man with a familiar face.

"Nathaniel!" She smiled widely, approaching the red-haired man. "It's so good to see you."

His eyes quickly flicked up and down at her. "You too, Marinette. It's been so long since we last saw one another."

"I know," Marinette frowned sadly, "a couple of months at least, right?"

"Three months, I'd say," he shrugged, then raised his eyebrows. "Not that I'm counting or anything. Um. Meet my friends!"

The young man stepped to the side slightly and gestured at the two other people stood beside him. Marinette's mouth fell as she made eye contact with one individual.

"This is Juleka," Nathaniel introduced. "And this is Rose. We're all working on the same film together."

"N-nice to meet you both!" The young woman stuttered, closing her eyes in a bright smile and waving.

"Nice to meet you too. Marinette was it?" Juleka asked nonchalantly, as if she didn't already know Marinette.

"Yep, that's me. Just Marinette."

The corner of Nathaniel's mouth turned up into a small smile. "So what brings you around here?"

"Oh, um. Just acting for a small film, you know, nothing important like what you're working- I mean, what I assume you're working on? Are you still doing set design?"

Nathaniel didn't acknowledge Marinette's babbling, he was used to it. "Yeah, I've been quite lucky with it to be honest with you. I owe it to you though, I was close to giving up on it a couple of times."

"I'm glad you didn't," Marinette smiled. "We should never have to give up on our dreams! I'm happy it's worked out for you, Nath."

He blushed.

A car stopped outside the gate and beeped the horn.

"That's my cab," Marinette apologised. "Sorry to dash. Hey, text me sometime soon Nath so we can catch up. Nice to meet you Rose and Juleka!"

They waved as the young girl clambered into the vehicle, glad to be free of the situation. After telling the driver the destination address, Marinette unlocked her phone to see one more text message.

 **To:** Marinette  
 **From:** Adrien  
 _Great! I'll see you tomorrow then at the café at about midday? :)_ _P.S. I will pay for you to get your screen replaced btw. Talk tomorrow – Adrien x_

She smiled at her phone and set a quick confirmation text back to him, then settled to stare out of the window to the passing streets of Paris. She was living a dream.

* * *

 **I know, this is a short update and I've been gone for a while- I'm sorry! The next update won't be too far off this time. I'm amazed to see that the views for this story have still been going up despite me not updating and I'm so grateful to you all for reading this and especially to those who follow, favorite, and review. Thank you!**

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 **1quintisfan:** Thank you so much!

 **Madrien:** I'm glad you think so!

 **Gypsy:** Thank you so much for your lovely words! This encouragement means so much to me. As for the reveal, I have everything planned out but you're just going to have to stick with the story to find out in case I change anything along the way!

 **FlameDragonHime** : Thank you, I'm glad you're enjoying it!


	9. Smoothies

**Smoothies**

Marinette sat in the empty café, tapping her phone the table as she waited. A strong smell of cleaning supplies filled her nostrils from the freshly wiped surface and from the counter where a waitress scrubbed at the coffee machine. A small bell rang from the entrance of the building as the door was pushed open, drawing Marinette's attention to where Adrien entered.

He glanced around before seeing her at the other side of the café and waved. "Hey, Marinette."

"Hi, Adrien," she greeted, placing her phone flat on the table.

"Can I get you something to drink?" he asked, noticing she hadn't ordered yet.

"I actually wanted to get one for you," Marinette blushed. "Since you bought that wine on Saturday, I can treat you to coffee. Obviously there's a bit of a price difference but…"

He chuckled and held a hand up. "You don't have to do that, I offered and wouldn't expect you to owe me anything. Plus, I don't actually drink coffee."

"Tea?"

He shook his head.

"You've gotta give me a clue here, Adrien," she joked, a smile playing on her face as she stood from the seat to approach the counter.

"I would just have water," he informed her, glancing up at the chalkboard menu on the wall. "But what are you having?"

She followed his eyes to the same menu and bit her lip before deciding. "Strawberry smoothie."

"Aw."

"It's just one," Marinette coaxed, edging closer to the waitress. "If you don't say no in the next few seconds, I'll buy you one too."

Adrien filled the air with a melodic laugh. "Okay, okay."

Marinette ordered the two drinks and returned to the table where Adrien was sat to await their order.

"Aurore told me to send her a text when you're ready to speak with her," he explained to Marinette with a soft smile.

"Oh, Adrien I don't know. I'm scared I'll babble and- Uh!" She covered her face with her hands. "What if I say something stupid? She'll think I'm a loser and everyone will hear about it and I'll never get signed onto a film ever again."

"Marinette," he chuckled, reaching across the table and putting his hands on hers to move the barrier away from her face. "You'll be fine. If it makes you feel better I can leave you to the phone call and wait outside, or I can stay if it'll help."

Marinette nodded her head once, eyes big and fixed on his face. She never gave him an answer.

"Two strawberry smoothies," the waitress said, placing them on the table. "Enjoy!"

"Thank you," Adrien smiled at her as she left them. He moved his hands from Marinette's and picked up the cold smoothie glass, looking at the pink drink with narrowed eyes.

Marinette watched him wordlessly.

"I never drink these," he said finally after feeling her watchful gaze. "They're full of sugar."

"They are." Marinette picked up her own glass and moved the straw into her fingers. "It's natural sugars though, so I think that makes it okay. Then again, I do work in a bakery so who am I to comment?"

Marinette took a sip of the smoothie while Adrien waited to see her reaction. She nodded her head towards his glass.

"Try it before you judge."

He took a quick drink and his eyes widened. "This is so good. I definitely need to order more to make up for the years I've missed. You're a bad influence getting me to drink this."

Marinette giggled. "You made me drink like, half a bottle of wine on Saturday so I think we're even."

Adrien smirked as he continued to drink the smoothie. "It was a nice evening though, wasn't it?"

"It was lovely!" Marinette assured, perking up in her seat and nodding her head over-enthusiastically. "I had no idea you and Nino were friends."

"Good friends. He's my best friend, in fact. Followed closely by my agent… that sounds really sad, actually," Adrien trailed off, focusing on the glass.

The young actress shook her head. "No it doesn't. I'm good friends with my agent too, there's no way I would've landed this job without her."

"Me neither."

Marinette raised a brow, wondering how a superstar like Adrien wouldn't have been able to get a job on an indie film. People must have been begging him to be in their films.

As if reading her mind, Adrien sat straighter and changed the subject. "Want me to text Aurore?"

Marinette let out a small groan in uncertainty.

"Hey, you'll do great. Aurore is so nice, I'm sure you and her will get along well."

"Okay then," Marinette agreed, placing her smoothie on the table determinedly. "Yeah, I can do this. I was born ready."

Adrien chuckled and took his phone from his pocket, typing a quick text as another message came through.

"Oh, Nino just text me," he told Marinette as he opened it. He started reading it aloud. " 'Hey bro, on Friday the club is having XY come in as a guest DJ for the night so I'm just introducing him, meaning I've got time to hang out. Alya and I wondered if you wanted to join us there and you could invite-'…"

His voice cut off as he turned a shade of crimson.

Marinette averted her eyes to the smoothie in front of her.

Adrien cleared his throat and placed his phone down on the table before looking across to her. "Are you busy Friday night?"

The young woman spluttered as she took a sip of her drink before shaking her head.

"Do you want to come with me and our friends to see XY?"

Marinette grinned, her pearly white teeth beaming. "Sure. Love that I would."

The corner of Adrien's mouth turned up into a smirk as Marinette mentally slapped herself.

"I would love that," she corrected.

"It starts at seven thirty," Adrien told her. "I could pick you up or we could meet there or… Whatever's best?"

Marinette wanted to choose the first option, but after a moments consideration she changed her mind. "We should meet there. It won't be very dark at that time so people might see you outside and then that just raises all kinds of questions."

"Smart," Adrien concluded with a nod of his head.

"I like to think I can be."

Adrien's phone began to ring and he looked at the caller ID that lit up the screen.

"It's Aurore," he told Marinette. "Do you want me to leave you to the call, or stay?"

"Uh, um, stay!" She panicked, sitting upright and fixing her hair as if Aurore could see her.

Adrien nodded and slid a finger across the screen to answer the call. "Hey, Aurore. I'm doing really well, thank you, how about yourself?... Oh, yeah I heard about that. That's the paparazzi for you… No?..."

Marinette waited patiently, mindlessly biting her fingernails. Adrien glanced at her.

"Yeah, Marinette is here with me right now. I'll pass you over… Okay, speak soon, bye."

He held the phone across the table and Marinette's shaking hand took the expensive smartphone. She held it to her ear for a long second without saying anything.

"H-Hello?"

Adrien rested his chin on his hands, watching Marinette as she spoke on the phone to the actress.

"Th-thank you so much, Aurore!... Yes, I am…"

The actors made eye contact across the table. Marinette's bright blue eyes were huge with excitement, glistening as she listened to the voice on the line. An affectionate smile grew on Adrien's face.

"I can't wait for it to come out, I'll be first in line at the cinema watching it!" Marinette giggled. "What was that?"

Adrien swore Marinette stopped breathing as her hand flew to her mouth. Adrien tensed, feeling his stomach flip in the moment.

"Of course! Oh, uh, I would love to so much. Thank you, Aurore, that is incredible. What's that?"

Marinette's face paled.

"Y-Yeah! Okay. Thank you so much. Bye!"

Adrien's face contorted with concern as the phone cut off and Marinette sat blankly staring at the table. Without making eye contact, she held his phone out to him.

As he took it, Marinette covered her face with her hands and took a deep breath, her heart beginning to resume its regular rhythm and her fingers stopping their continuous trembling. After a few seconds, she opened her eyes and grinned at Adrien, the sight of him just making her heart beat faster again as he visibly relaxed at her expression.

"Aurore Beauréal has just invited me to the Paris premiere of her new film."

"What?!" Adrien beamed. "That's incredible Marinette."

"I know," the young actress blushed. "She did say I have two conditions for going though…"

He raised a brow.

"I have to bring a plus one," she began.

Adrien nodded slowly.

"Anddddd," she stared at him with pleading eyes and a bright pink face. "It has to be you. Her rules!"

With the heat flushing both actor's faces, they looked at one another in silence for an eternity.

"You don't have to," Marinette spoke, breaking the peace. "People would talk and I completely understand that changes things, and I'm already super grateful for you arranging that phone call so if you don't want to it's-"

"I want to go Marinette," Adrien assured her, green eyes fixed on her face. "So what if they talk, friends can hang out together right?"

 _Friends._

Her smile reached her eyes, straining the muscles in her cheeks as she nodded her head. "Yeah, of course! Oh gosh, what will I wear? What do I do? I've never been to a premiere before. It's only a few weeks away, I need to prepare. How many photographers will be there? Probably a lot, right? Why am I agreeing to this?"

"Marinette, breathe."

Stopping her rambles, the young woman met the eyes of Adrien again, grounding her.

"I talk a lot when I'm nervous."

"I never guessed," Adrien remarked with a wink.

Butterflies attacked Marinette's stomach as she examined his face.

He took a sip of his smoothie, blissfully unaware of the woman's eyes fixed upon him.

"I'll be with you the whole night and it's not as overwhelming as you think. Some interviewers will want our comments, but since we're not actually in the film it'll be very few caring for us so we can mostly just enjoy the night. It'll be the red carpet first, we'll go inside and watch the movie, then there's the after party…"

"After party," Marinette mused.

The young woman was consumed by the thought of the premiere. It did sound overwhelming, and maybe it was just that Adrien was used to it, but at the back of Marinette's mind developed the anticipation and fear for her own film's premiere, no matter how far away it was.

"Give it some thought," Adrien instructed her. "And you can make your mind up on the night; we still have a few weeks until the premiere yet."

"Thank you."

Marinette's gaze fell to her smoothie, not noticing how the man opposite her kept his own eyes lingering on her a few seconds more.

* * *

 **Thank you to everyone who came back to this story now I've updated, I'm so grateful! Your reviews are so encouraging, so please if you have anything to say whether good or bad do leave it in comments for me to see what you're enjoying or not, and let me know where I can improve. Also, I am loving reading the theories you have for what is going to happen in the rest of the story (which I'm not going to confirm or deny if it'll happen, but I do have this entire thing planned out)! I hope you have enjoyed this chapter and I look forward to updating again soon.**

Replies to Reviews: 

_MidnightForest037:_ You'll have to wait and see! Thank you for reviewing

 _Miner49er201:_ Your review is honestly amazing and you made my day reading it. I'm so glad you're enjoying it and that you think I'm writing it well, that means so much to me. Thank you for taking a chance on a story you wouldn't normally read, your support means an incredible amount to me!

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 _Booksrlife:_ Thank you, I'm so happy you think it's realistic! And thank you for the reassurance, I will make sure not to throw chapters out for the sake of not leaving people waiting because that usually means it's not going to be as good as it will be if I give it more of my time


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